This year the stars aligned in just the right way for me to get a couple of 11th grade United States history classes to complement my 10th world history classes. I have taught it in the past, but it is the most popular subject to teach in my department (five teachers teach it regularly compared to four who teach world history), and scheduling a section or two for me hasn't always worked out for the last three years.

While I majored in and use to like U.S. History more then the world history (a subject for another post), one of the big reason I enjoy it now is watching the students mature. Since I teach the 10th grade class, I end up for a lot of the same students. This year of the 80 kids in my U.S. History classes, I had about half of them last year. That can be good and bad. The pre-existing relationship moves the class to a point of trust and openness that takes longer when you don't know the students. However, for that very reason these kids think they can get away with more. I have reminded more juniors then sophomores, that I am not their "buddy" or their friend; I'm their teacher.

This is all coming from a couple of e-mails I have received from a student. While bright and occasionally motivated, the circle of friend he associates with has helped push him off course at times. He has been distancing himself from these people and really starting to grasp that the future doesn't have to include them. A year and a half ago, when he entered my class, I don't think he would have ever made that conclusion.

I'm amazed at how much students mature between their sophomore and junior years. For many, they finally get it. They see the importance of what they are doing and start figuring out what needs to happen next. Others simply sit still for longer periods of time. Their ability to think deepens. And. most importantly, their eyes open to really look at the world around them, the world they will be entering in a couple years.

Today was a good day. Every year we have a minimum day where students are encouraged to bring their parents along with them. Sure it isn’t the true experience – only 39 minutes, instead of 54. Everyone, including myself, is dressed up and we put on our best lesson. Some teachers hate this day, but I love it.

In world history, I did a lesson on creating an enemy with propaganda. After a short review of the concept of propaganda, I showed examples of enemies being depicted as beasts, rapists, barbarians, etc. My flow was good, timing good enough, everyone participated, and the parents laughed at my numerous one-liners.

In United States history, I introduced my unit on the Civil Rights Movement. I defined civil rights and the movement as a whole, then went through a series of images that showcased life in the South before and during the 1960s. After that I gave the students and parents a copy of a literacy test from Louisiana. Once they completed the test, we went over parts of it, and discussed its purpose. Again it went smoothly, I got more parent participation then in world history and even my quiet class got involved.

I hope events like this give the community a positive impression of the efforts of the teachers. Our union battles with the administration are continuing and the pessimistic part of me feels that things are going to get a lot worse before they get better. If the community as a whole values our contributions, they might be more supportive.

Congratulations to my dad, who after 30 years as a firefighter, worked his last shift on Saturday. We had a nice gathering at the station on Saturday and then took him to breakfast on Sunday morning in limo (complements of a co-worker).

He and my mom (a retired community college teacher) both had incredible careers that made their family proud.



Three generations.

From Polski3's View from Here...

bold The states you've been to, underline the states you've lived in and italicize the state you're in now...

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More than I thought, less then I want.

I came across this entry about professor evaluations a few days ago and have been thinking how it K-12 teachers are evaluated. While college professor’s only feedback comes from student evaluations, K-12 teachers face a different monster.

I get evaluated every two years. Mostly, an evaluation entails a couple pre-arranged class observations by a vice principal or principal and then a meeting to discuss the results. On a day-to-day basis, I feel good about my teaching abilities, but when being evaluated, I schedule the visits for my best lessons. The lessons that I know will spark a great discussion or the PowerPoint with the coolest multimedia elements. Then I go to the meeting and the VP goes on and on about what an impact on students I make on a daily basis. The evaluation is filed and we both feel good.

I like to think that I’m a good teacher, but if I’m doing this, aren’t the bad ones doing this too? I know of a teacher who is no longer at my school who did the same lesson for his evaluation, every two years for 20 years! It is a superficial look at what goes on in the classroom. Students and parents are almost never included in the evaluation process (at least in my district) – not that they should be a defining part of a teacher evaluation. I have seen through other blogs, the media, and even examples within my own district of teachers who aren’t good teachers, but get good evals. Then when some larger event occurs, they pull the personnel file and find years of perfect evaluations - making due process significantly more difficult. I do like that my union will fight for me, but it will fight for anyone – regardless of the offense.

It is obvious the system is flawed. Is merit pay the answer? Linking standardized test scores to pay? Eliminating tenure? My governor thinks the answer includes those items. My union doesn’t. Arnold is going way too far and getting into territory that will drive teachers from the profession and scare away prospective teachers. However, I’m glad that I’m at a good school and on track to finally teach honors classes.